Medal of Honor Recipient Articles

Medal of Honor: Leroy Johnson – World War II – December 15, 1944

Facing a well-entrenched enemy position, one squad leader completed the mission—and when grenades landed among his men, chose to give his life to save theirs.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Charles L. Thomas – World War II – December 14, 1944

Wounded again and again at the head of an armored column, one young officer refused evacuation—directing antitank guns under fire and ensuring his unit could fight on before allowing himself to be carried from the field.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Robert B. Nett – World War II – December 14, 1944

Wounded again and again in brutal hand-to-hand fighting, one infantry officer refused to relinquish command—pressing the assault with rifle and bayonet until a Japanese strongpoint that had stalled the advance for two days was finally broken.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Ralph G. Neppel – World War II – December 14, 1944

With his leg severed by a tank shell, one machine-gun squad leader dragged himself back through fire, remounted his weapon, and destroyed the infantry assault—forcing an enemy tank to withdraw.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Henry Talmage Elrod – Wake Island – December 8–23, 1941

Outnumbered in the air and surrounded on the ground, one Marine fighter pilot shot down enemy bombers, sank a Japanese warship, and then took up a rifle to lead the defense of Wake Island until he was killed in action.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Lt. Col. John U. D. Page – Chosin Reservoir – November 29 to December 10, 1950

For twelve days in the frozen hell of the Chosin Reservoir, one artillery officer became a one-man relief force—training stray troops, manning tanks, fighting ambushes, and charging alone into enemy fire to save an entire column.

MOH

Medal of Honor: Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift – Guadalcanal – August–December 1942

He led the first major American offensive of World War II, holding the line on Guadalcanal against relentless assaults from land, sea, and air—and forged the victory that changed the momentum of the Pacific War.